Wheel disk



Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WHEEL DISK` A George Albert Lyon, Allcnhurst, N. J. -Application October 2l, 1938', Serial No. 236,163

10 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to a wheel assemblyfand more particularly to a wheel assembly in which the wheel disk makes a snap-on engagement with the vehicle wheel by means of a plurality of spring means integral with the wheel disk itself.

The majority of vehicle wheels .today are equipped with ornamental wheel disks over their outer surfaces. The use of these wheel disks permits a more economical manufacture of vehicle wheels, since the wheels themselves may be designed soleL for strength and utility, without re gard to ornamental appearance, the wheel disk being employed for the latter purpose. The most popular form of wheel disk at the present time is a wheel disk having a highly polished exterior surface. The exterior surface of the wheel disk may, of course, be finished in any other suitable manner, such as by enameling it or the like.

In order to minimize the total cost of the wheel assembly, it is, of course, necessary to minimize the cost of the wheel disk itself as much as possible. The thinner the sheet metal stock is, which is employed to make the wheel disk, the greater the saving is in the manufacturing cost. It has been found that wheel disks may be constructed of a sheet of metal stock having a thickness dimension of such a character that if a single thickness of metal stock is engaged by any fastening means or any other similar strain is placed thereon, the metal of the disk is deformed.

at that point, but which, when presented as a double thickness of metal formed by a fold, the

metal in the disk thereof is not deformed.

A further item in the wheel assembly which contributes substantially to the manufacturing costs of the wheel assembly of the type that is commonly known at the present time is the separate spring-linger or attaching element which is employed to detachably secure the wheel disk over the front face of the wheel. It will, of course, be appreciated that the wheel disk must be detachable from the wheell in order to permit access to the wheel mounting bolts which secure the wheel to the axle mounting element. The present invention provides a novel form of wheel disk which cooperates with a novel vehicle wheel in a novel manner, which eliminates the use of a separate spring mounting finger which must be permanently mounted to one of the elements of the assembly and arranged to detachably secure the elements together. More particularly, the wheel disk and vehicle wheel are so designed that portions of the wheel disk itself act as attaching means or lingers.

Accordingly, it is one object of the present inbly having the above highly desirable characteristics.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel wheel disk which is economical to manufacture and which is rugged and reliable in use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel wheel disk and wheel assembly in which the wheel disk is detachably secured to the wheel by means integral therewith.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel wheel disk having resilient fastening fingers formed of a double fold of metal.

Another and further object of this invention is to provide a novel combination of wheel disk and vehicle wheel.

Another and still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel wheel disk having integral tightly folded resilient ngers thereon ywhich are arranged to snap over a shoulder or shoulders on a vehicle wheel to detachably secure the disk to the wheel.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and manner of construction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view partly in crosssection of a vehicle wheel and. wheel disk assembly;

Figure `2 is a rear elevational view of the wheel disk shown in Figure l; and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of that por-tion of the wheel assembly wherein the wheel disk makes a securing engagement with the vehicle wheel.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the various figures of the drawing, there is shown a wheel assembly com- Aprising a vehicle wheel I0 and a Wheel disk or ornamental cover member II. Theform of vehicle wheel shown in the drawing comprises a rim part I2 and a body part I3. The rim part I2 is of the usual drop-center type, including a base flange I4, opposite intermediate side flanges I5, opposite intermediate base flanges I6, and opposite edge portions I1. The drop-center rim I2 as illustrated is of the type which is commonly employed in the automotive vehicle art of the present day, and as is well known to those skilled in the art, is arranged to seat and accommodate a pneumatic tire (not shown) 'I'he body part I3 ofthe vehicle wheel Illnciuues in general a rearwardly extending outer flange I3, a principal body portion I2, and a wheel mounting flange 20. The rearwardly extending outer flange i3 is riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the underside of the base flange I4 of the'rim I2. as at 2I. The mounting flange 2l is provided with an annular series of apertures 22 for the reception of the wheel mounting bolts 23, which extend therethrough into engagement with the radial attaching iiange 24 of the hub 2l. As is shown in Figure 1. a radial attaching flange 24 of the hub 26 also mounts the brake drum 24, the brake drum being apertured opposite the wheel mounting bolts 23 to permit the latter to pass therethrough into threaded engagement with the radial attaching flange 24 of the hub 28.

The principal body portion I9 of the wheel I0' is provided with an annular shoulder 21, there being provided an annular groove or indented portion 28 behind the outer extremity of the shoulder 21. shoulder 21 provides a portion on the wheel Il upon which the wheel disk II is detachably secured.

The wheel disk I I includes a relatively large dome-shaped central portion 29, a concentric annular outer portion 30 which may be given any configuration desired, the concentric outer portion being connected to the dome-shaped central portion 29 by an integral double thickness flange 3i. 'Ihe flange 3i, with the exception oi' the finger portions thereof presently to be described, extends directly axially rearwardly, as may be seen by an inspection of the cross-section of the flange 3i in the lower part of Figure 1. It will further be perceived from an inspection of the cross-section of the iiange 3i in the lower part of Figure 1 that the positioning and dimensioning of this iiange is such that the fiange is of slightly n greater inside diameter than the maximum outside diameter of the shoulder 21.

In order to provide a tight-gripping engagement of the wheel disk I I on the wheel I without the use of the usual separate spring fingers which have previously been employed to extend between the wheel and the fastening flange of the wheel disk, a plurality of integral, double-thickness resilient fingers 32 are provided on the wheel disk II. 'I'hese integral double-thickness fingers 32 may be seen best from an inspection of Figure 2 of the drawing. While three fingers have been illustrated, it will of course be understood that any convenient number of fingers may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The resilient double-thickness fingers 32 of the wheel disk II are preferably formed by forming an annular fold in the wheel disk II, as it is being made. The folded, or edge portion of this annular fold is then cut away, as at 33, at intervals therearound, thus leaving only the fingers 32 with the folded end 34. The annular fold formed in the wheel disk I I thus forms the axially rearwardly extending double-thickness flange 3i and also provides the resilient double-thickness folded fastening ngers 32. The ends of the fastening fingers are then bent obliquely axially rearwardly and radially inwardly, as is clearly shown in the cross-sectional view of the flange 3i and the fingers 32 in the upper part of Figure 1.

Although it has been found that the folded end of the fingers 32 is sufficient to hold the outer As will presently appear, the' annular portion 3l of the wheel disk II in secure engagement with the central dome-shaped portion 2l, the double-thickness ange 3| may be welded together if desired without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

I'he fastening fingers 32, when formed as above described, form a resilient but relativelyA sti!! fastening means which is arranged to be snapped over the annular shoulder or hump-shaped portion 21 of the wheell Il. 'I 'he fingers I2 thus extend partly down into the grooved or recessed portion 24 and engage the rear face oi the shoulder 21 to detachably hold the wheel disk II in place on the wheel. I 'I'he outer portion 34 of the wheel disk II may, of course, be given any desired ornamental configuration, as has been previously pointed out. As is shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, the outer annular portion 30 of the wheel disk II is provided with an underturned beaded edge 3l. which is arranged to be seated on the intermediate outer side flange I5 of the drop-center rim I2. It is to be understood, however, that the outer annular portion 30 of the wheel disk II may be arranged to be seated on the body part I3 of the wheel I0, o'r on any other part of the drop-center rim i2 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will, of course. be understood that I do not wish to be'limited thereto. since many modifications may be made, and I, therefo're, contemplate by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wheel disk comprising a dome-shaped central portion, an annular outer portion, and a rearwardly extending flange oi double thickness connecting said portions together, said flange including a plurality of integral folded wheel attaching fastening fingers.

2. A wheel disk comprising a dome-shaped central portion, an annular outer portion, and a rearwardly extending flange of double thickness connecting said portions together, said i'iange including a plurality of integral folded wheel attaching fastening fingers, the outer folded ends of said fingers being bent obliquely radially inwardly and axially rearwardly.

3. In a wheel and wheel disk assembly including a wheel having a body part with an annular fold therein of S-shape cross section, said fold forming a generally radially outwardly extending shoulder and providing an annular groove therebehind, a wheel disk for disposition over the outer face. ofv said wheel, having an integral axially rearwardly extending flange formed of a double thickness of material, said flange including a plurality oi integral resilient wheel engaging fingers having a folded end portion, said iingers extending over said shoulder and into said annular groove of said wheel to thereby detachably secure the wheel disk to the wheel.

4. A wheel cover comprising a disk portion, a ring portion concentric therewith, spring fingers integral with and extending from one edge of said ring. portion, and spring lingers integral with and extending from the `edge of said disk- .Y with and extending from said edge of said ring portion, and spring fingers integral with and extending from the edge of said disk portion, the spring lingers on said two portions being superposedland nested with their tips connected together.

6. A wheel cover disk comprising a central portion and an outer portion contiguous therewith, spring fingers integral with and extending from the inner edge' of said outer portion, and spring fingers integral with and extending from the outer edge of said central portion, the spring ngers on said two portions being connected at their extremities.

7. A Wheel cover disk comprising a central portion and an outer portion contiguous therewith, spring ngers integral with and extending from the inner edge of said outer portion, and spring ngers integral with and extending from the outer edge of said central portion, the spring 20 fingers on said outer portion overlying the spring fingers on said inner portion and being integral therewith at their ends.

8. As an article of manufacture, a wheel cover having rearwardly projecting spaced fingers, said fingers comprising integral folded portions of said cover whereby each nger has a double thickness of material.

9. As an article of manufacture, a circular wheel cover comprising two concentric portions joined and held together solely by rearwardly extending integral portions formed into spaced ngers for retaining cooperation with a wheel.

10. As an article of manufacture, a wheel cover comprising inner and outer circular portions connected and held together solely by rearwardly extending and concealed circularly arranged and spaced portions formed into ilexible iingers for retaining cooperation with a wheel;

GEORGE ALBERT LYON. 

